Photo Credit: Speedshots.co.za
DHL Western Province hosted the Vodacom Bulls in Cape Town a brutal battle. The Bulls snatched a victory with two minutes to go with 22-20.
A brutal battle was expected and that was exactly what followed. The lead changed hand several times and when Jaques van Rooyen was sent off all seemed to be lost for the Bulls. However, a try by Marco Jansen van Vuren two minutes from fulltime gave the Vodacom Bulls a deserved win with 22-20 who also regained their place at the top of the competition log.
07:14 Kurt-Lee Arendse scored the Bulls first try after great work by Cornal Hendricks from inside his half. (0-5)
14:09 Damian Willemse converted a penalty to reduce the Bulls margin to just two points. (3-5)
The first twenty minutes of the match saw both teams willing to give the ball as much air as possible. A very even battle at that stage with the scrum of Western Province definately dominant.
22:15 A second penalty missed by Damian Willemse which could prove to be costly at the end.
31:12 The Momentum clearly in favour of Western Province and after sustained pressure on the Bulls try-line Juarno Augustus' try gave Western Province the lead for the first time of the game. (10-5)
Western Province dominated the first thirty minutes of the match on the back of their dominant scrum. However, the Bulls slowly clawed their way back into the game. The game at halftime an evenly balanced physical battle with Western Province in the lead with 10-5.
45:53 A penalty By Chris Smith reduced Western Province lead to just two points. (10-8)
46:50 Jaques van Rooyen from the Bulls, was red-carded after yet another blunder by Rasta Rashivhenge (TMO) who's motives has to be questioned after two games this weekend where his loyalty to teams have to be questioned.
58:37 Angelo Davids scored Western Province second try after the Bulls defence was caught napping after a Damian Willemse kick upfield. (15-8)
With twenty minutes to go the game still balanced on a knife's edge although the Bulls will end the game with only fourteen players. Both sides made several replacements at this stage with the Bulls who refused to be stopped by Rasta's "error" in judgement.
67:26 The Bulls' replacements did what was asked from them. Kurt-Lee Arendse scored his second try as a reward for the Bulls' continued pressure. (15-15)
69:41 A try by Ernst van Rhyn was Western Province's emphatic response to the Bulls try to take back their lead. (20-15)
76:20 Marco Jansen van Vuren mastered a cross-kick on Western Province's try line to score the Bulls winning try with two minutes to go. (20-22)
The Bulls a deserved winner with 22-20 after this brutal game. The replacements of the Bulls again proved to be a match-winning combination. This is how rugby was supposed to play.
Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls: Tries: Kurt-Lee Arendse (2), Marco Jansen van Vuren. Conversion: Chris Smith (2). Penalty: Chris Smith.
DHL Western Province: Tries: Juarno Augustus, Angelo Davids, Ernst van Rhyn. Conversions: Damian Willemse. Penalties: Damian Willemse.
Teams:
DHL Western Province: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Replacements (from): 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Kwenzo Blose, 19 Neethling Fouche, 20 David Meihuizen, 21 Chris van Zyl, 22 Jaco Coetzee, 23 Marcel Theunissen, 24 Godlen Masimla, 25 Tim Swiel, 26 Ruhan Nel.
Vodacom Bulls: 15 David Kriel, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Arno Botha, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jacques van Rooyen. Replacements: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Clinton Swart, 23 Marco Jansen van Vuren.